Location Planning Manager

As a Location Planning Manager, you will play a key role in shaping and delivering M&S's UK store estate strategy through data-led insight, analysis and strategic recommendations. Working across a designated region of the UK, you will develop an in-depth understanding of local retail markets, M&S store performance, competitor activity, property developments and changing customer behaviours to support long-term estate growth and optimisation.

Using multiple data sources, you will provide insight that improves forecast accuracy, informs investment decisions and supports the development of new store opportunities, relocations, extensions, closures and wider estate initiatives. You will assess new store opportunities, undertake complex analytical projects including sales forecasting, and make recommendations that directly influence the future shape of the M&S estate.

What You Will Do

• Leads the development of the store estate strategy for specific regions of the UK, acting as the primary source of insight and business subject matter expert.
• Uses available data, insight analytics and standalone analysis projects to shape strategy, support decision making and answer key property related questions.
• Develops business cases for new store openings, extensions, relocations, closures, downsizes and rebalancing of footage, presenting recommendations and outcomes to senior stakeholders.
• Visits all new site and existing store opportunities, either with Acquisition colleagues, leadership or independently, with regular travel, field-based working and overnight stays as required.
• Builds strong partnerships with Retail Regional Managers and key stakeholders across Property, Finance, Store Development, Store Planning, Retail Space Planning, Customer Insight and Corporate Communications to ensure a collaborative approach and sharing of knowledge and insight.
• Leads on PIRs for new openings, analysing forecast versus actual performance, making recommendations for future actions and developing relationships with key external data and service providers.
• Drives improved insight through better digital solutions and location planning innovation, while maintaining a strong understanding of UK retail market trends and interpreting these in relation to M&S.

Who You Will Be

• An experienced analyst with previous experience in a location planning, market development or similar analytical role.
• A strong communicator with excellent presentation skills, confident explaining complex analysis to a wide range of stakeholders, including senior management.
• A relationship builder with evidence of developing strong stakeholder partnerships and working effectively with external third party providers.
• Self-motivated and comfortable working independently, managing competing priorities and using your own initiative to create and develop analytical projects.
• Flexible and mobile, ideally based in the East of England or London, with the ability to travel regularly and stay away from home overnight when required.
• A full UK driving licence holder.

What You Will Bring

• Well-developed analytical skills, with experience of delivering analysis projects using large and complex data sets.
• Strong technical capability, ideally including Machine Learning models, gravity models, predictive sales forecasting and GIS tools such as MapInfo, ArcGIS or QGIS.
• Intermediate to advanced Excel skills, with experience using analytical tools such as Power BI, SQL, Python or Alteryx desirable but not essential, alongside an understanding of Big Data platforms.
• A solid understanding of financial modelling, including discounted cash flow analysis, NPV, IRR and payback calculations.
• Experience of developing and presenting robust business cases to support strategic decision making.

What’s in it for you

Being a part of M&S is exactly that – playing your part to bring the magic of M&S to our customers every day. We’re an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever‑evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing exceptional quality, value and service to every customer, whenever, wherever and however they want to shop with us.

Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special…

• 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third‑party brands for you and a member of your household.
• Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days.
• Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
• A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
• A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
• Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
• Industry‑leading parental, adoption and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
• Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues, including our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist for you and your family.
• A charity volunteer day to support a cause you're passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.

Everyone’s welcome

We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.

We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together. If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.